


until every last star in the galaxy dies, you have me

by star_bunny



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 07:57:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13049805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/star_bunny/pseuds/star_bunny
Summary: lessons in love





	until every last star in the galaxy dies, you have me

‘You didn’t tell me he was cute,’ Rey says as she sits down besides Finn with a bowlful of fruit, offering him some. It was hours after the weary remainders of the Resistance had fled onto the Falcon, hours after the rush of relief and joy had jolted through Finn when seeing Rey again, healthy and whole and alive. Most had retired to whatever private corner they could find to sleep and rest and grieve.

‘Who?’ Finn says, taking some fruit and eating it halfheartedly.

‘Well, I guess _handsome_ is more fitting,’ Rey says, casually leaning back in her chair, and at Finn’s pointedly confused expression, she elaborates. ‘Poe.’

Finn’s gaze flicks away from her, unsure of himself, the memory of Rose’s quick kiss burning his lips. ‘Oh. Right,’ is all he says.

There’s a beat of silence where Rey places the fruit bowl down so she can take both of Finn’s hands in hers, her fingers absentmindedly rubbing at the dirt and blood and salt still crusted on Finn’s skin. ‘What’s wrong, Finn? Besides everything…’ she trails off, unable to find the words for the minor victories and major losses of the past few days.

Rey’s hands are a gentle encouragement, a reminder of trust, a warm comfort Finn’s heart aches for. She gives him the strength to be brave. ‘Rose kissed me. She saved my life out there, and nearly died because of me.’

‘She cares for you. And I will thank her for saving you, when she wakes up. And she _will_ wake up.’ Rey offers reassurance in the form of a small smile, though struggling to swallow back a rush of pain. Finn hadn’t died, but Rey still found herself needing to grieve at the mere thought of losing him. Again. _But not here,_ she tells herself, _not now_.

‘I know she will,’ Finn says firmly, a flicker of hope burning deep in his chest. ‘And believe me, I’m glad she saved me. But, I’m worried…I can’t give her what she wants. I care about her a lot Rey, _I do_ , but I don’t love in her that way.’

Finn’s gaze is solemn and low, his hands becoming restless in Rey’s, whose voice is the softest he’s ever heard it when she speaks again. ‘Just tell her Finn. Be honest. Love is something you find, not something you force.’

At that, Finn’s eyes flick up to Rey’s face, his voice heavy with the effort of lightness. ‘When did you get so wise?’

‘I had a good teacher,’ Rey says, and it is her turn now to fall into sorrow as Luke’s face slips from memory into thought.

Finn takes his hands from hers so he can pull her in close, with none of the desperate rush from their reunion before, this time quiet and warm and steady. ‘I’m sorry, Rey.’

Rey says nothing, but presses her face into the crook of Finn’s neck, still overwhelmed by being with him again, feeling him solid and real beneath her touch after so long worrying for him.

They stay there like that for a while, silent but saying all they needed to say, all they _could_ say in this moment of stillness after their worlds had fallen apart, again. After gathering enough strength from within herself, and from Finn, Rey pulls away far enough to place her hands on either side of Finn’s face, gently pulling his head down low enough to give him a quick kiss on his forehead, solemn and sincere. ‘If this has taught us anything, Finn, it’s that we must tell the people we love that we love them, before it’s too late. Never be afraid of love. That and hope is all we have left.’

And with that, Rey gets up and quietly walks away, leaving Finn with those last words dancing through his mind and a certain face in his thoughts.

////

Finn’s knock is gentle, fearful of startling Poe. ‘Hey.’

Poe twists in the pilot chair, his face quickly slipping into a collected mask of lightness, but Finn catches the exhaustion and fear in his eyes, too deep and too raw to hide, no matter what the calmness of Poe’s voice belied. ‘Hey Buddy! How’re you doing?’

Finn takes that as an invitation and seats himself beside Poe, Rey’s voice running through his mind. _Be honest. Tell the people you love that you love them, before it’s too late_. ‘Honestly Poe?’ a pause, a breath. ‘Not great. But I’m alive. So.’ Finn’s shrug is stiff, but before Poe can address that Finn turns it around. ‘What about you?’

Poe’s face freezes, unprepared, as though he hadn’t expected anyone to ask him that. ‘Me?’

‘Yes Poe, you.’ Finn’s voice and gaze is steady, his resolve driving him forward. ‘ _How are you?_ ’

Poe’s gaze shifts quickly away, skittering across the console in front of him, his hands clasping the chair arms in a white knuckle grip to hold off the tremors. ‘Fine, I’m fine. Just taking care of the ship while everyone gets some rest.’

Mirroring Rey, Finn reaches over and pries Poe’s hands from the chair, taking them in his own and holding them firmly. ‘What’s wrong, Poe?’

Poe’s protest of _nothing_ dies on his lips. He is silent, and Finn is silent too, waiting, offering time. Eventually: ’I’m scared, Finn.’ Poe’s voice is wavering and stripped raw, and it makes Finn’s heart ache for him. ‘Scared of what’s going to happen now. Scared about how much we’ve lost. Scared about how _we can’t win_.’

Finn grips Poe’s hands tighter, and in his mind he sees Rose, lying unconscious but alive; Rey, returned and hurting but still ready to fight; Leia, losing everyone and everything but hope, and that flicker in his chest grows into a flame. ‘It’s okay to be scared, Poe. I am. Everyone is. You’re not alone. And you don’t have to carry the weight of this whole war with you.’ Poe’s breath hitches, but Finn presses on, determined eyes staring into Poe’s. ‘Yes, we lost a lot today. But not everything. _Not hope_. We’re still gonna keep fighting, keep resisting. Because it’s the right thing to do.’

At that, Poe makes a strangled sound, half-laugh half-sob. ‘Finn… I-‘

‘Love you,’ Finn cries in a rush, an echo of fear and panic making the exclamation slightly fraught, and he hurries on while he still feels brave enough to do so, though he looks away from Poe’s face, unable to bear what expression might be forming there. ‘And it’s okay if you don’t love me back. But I just wanted you to know, because if this has taught us anything, it’s that we gotta tell people we love them, before it’s too late, and-‘

Finn isn’t looking when he’s borrowing Rey’s words, so it catches him off-guard when Poe’s lips crash clumsily against his own, stealing both his words and his breath. Poe pulls away, but keeps his face close enough to Finn’s that his warm breath kisses his cheeks. A few heartbeats pass, filled with trembling hands and searching eyes, until a smile dawns on Poe’s face. ‘Those are some wise words. Good advice.’

To Poe, Finn’s answering grin is brighter than every star in the space around them, and he is blinded. 

‘I had a good teacher,’ Finn says, his hands curling into the lapels of Poe’s jacket, the smooth leather beneath his fingers jolting him with sudden realisation. ‘Oh, I lost your jacket.’

And Poe laughs, deep and sincere, shaking away some of the sorrow, and thinks about how he’d gladly sew Finn a hundred more jackets; and Finn laughs, too, his despair buoyed by love, and feels the flame of hope in his chest roar into a fire, and he is ablaze.

**Author's Note:**

> i waited two long years for the last jedi and all i have to say is fuck you rian


End file.
